Chapter 269: Chapter 279: I Just Wanted My Own Toys, I Didn’t Want to Share

Stepping outside, she saw Yvonne Lewis and her family of three by the trees. Lorne Vance was laughing happily in Vincent Vance’s arms.

Holly Winslow glanced over, then looked away, pretending not to have seen them. She took a detour to Mortimer Quincy’s house.

Brooke Jarvis was enjoying a rare day off, reading at home in casual clothes. Seeing Holly Winslow hobble in, she hurried over. "Holly, what happened?"

Looking at Brooke Jarvis’s face, Holly Winslow’s eyes suddenly reddened. "Mom, I’m fine. I just sprained my ankle."

"Is it serious? Let’s go to the hospital and have it checked." Brooke Jarvis squatted down to look at her ankle. It was red.

"It’s not serious. I already went to a clinic and had it treated."

Holly Winslow pulled her up, and Brooke Jarvis helped her to the sofa. Then, she picked up the phone and called Andre Quincy.

In less than half an hour, the family doctor arrived. He examined Holly Winslow’s foot. "It’s nothing serious, just red and swollen. Rest for two days and wear flat shoes."

"Okay," Brooke Jarvis said, taking it all in.

Afterward, Brooke Jarvis helped Holly Winslow to Mortimer Quincy’s bedroom to lie down. After going downstairs, she called Andre Quincy again. "Come home early this afternoon, and bring back a chicken."

Andre Quincy simply replied, "Mm."

In the bedroom

Holly Winslow pulled out her phone and called Wyatt Winslow. "Dad, I can’t bring you your meal today. I’m eating at Mom’s place."

On the other end of the line, Wyatt Winslow answered without hesitation, "Okay."

After hanging up, he checked the time: 12:43 PM.

Holly Winslow had woken up to make breakfast. She had made a lean pork congee and deliberately cooked extra, saying she would bring him lunch.

He pressed his lips together, still worried. He grabbed the car keys from the table and left.

...

Just as he reached the third floor, Wyatt Winslow saw the people at his door. Yvonne Lewis and the other two also saw him.

Perhaps because of what Holly Winslow had said last time, Yvonne Lewis’s tone was much improved. She smiled. "Wyatt Winslow, I want to see Holly. I was in the wrong last time. I shouldn’t have used that tone with you."

Wyatt Winslow pressed his lips together. "It’s fine."

He pressed his lips together again, then finally opened the door and let the three of them inside.

The room was filled with the faint, homey aroma of food. On the table was a large bowl of congee and a few cold side dishes.

A lunch box was sitting next to it.

It was all ready, but she hadn’t had time to pack it.

"Holly isn’t home. She went to eat at Mortimer Quincy’s place."

Lorne Vance was little and particularly sensitive to the smell of food. He said to Vincent Vance, "Daddy, it smells so good. I want to eat."

"You just ate. You can’t have any more," Vincent Vance said, shaking his head.

Wyatt Winslow went to the kitchen, brought out a bowl, and said, "Go ahead and eat."

Just then, a voice came from outside the door. "Holly, are you there?"

Wyatt Winslow glanced outside. It was Robin Roland. She was holding a large bowl, and her fingers were noticeably red, clearly from the heat.

He walked over and took the bowl from her. Noticing the sweat on her forehead, he pressed his lips together. "Holly isn’t home. Come on in."

Robin Roland smiled and shook her head. "I won’t come in. I thought only Holly was home, so I didn’t bring much. I’m not sure if it’s enough for both of you."

"It’s enough. Thank you," Wyatt Winslow said with a nod.

Robin Roland didn’t say anything more. She said her goodbyes and left. Wyatt Winslow carried the food inside and met Yvonne Lewis’s gaze. He gave a nearly imperceptible press of his lips.

His throat felt a little tight.

Yvonne Lewis pressed her lips together briefly, then said, "She has two months of summer vacation. I’d like to take Holly abroad for a while."

"I can’t make that decision. Holly has her own ideas." Wyatt Winslow went to the kitchen and got a plate to cover the dish Robin Roland had brought.

...

Robin Roland, worried the pickled fish noodles she made would get clumpy, gave Holly Winslow a call. "Holly, dear, where are you? I brought over a dish for you and gave it to your dad. You should get back soon to eat it before the noodles get all mushy."

Holly Winslow knew Wyatt Winslow was back home. She gripped the phone tightly. "Okay, thank you, Aunt Roland."

She got out of bed and went downstairs. Brooke Jarvis was in the kitchen cooking for her. "Holly, what are you doing downstairs?"

Holly Winslow said apologetically, "Mom, please stop cooking. I have to go home. Dad’s back."

"I’m so sorry, Mom."

Brooke Jarvis smiled, unconcerned. "Sorry for what? I’ll walk you home."

"No need, Mom." Holly Winslow pressed her lips together. "My mother is here."

Brooke Jarvis understood immediately. She reached out and patted Holly Winslow. "I’ll take you downstairs."

Holly Winslow’s nose tingled. "Thank you, Mom."

Brooke Jarvis walked her all the way to the third floor before leaving. Seeing that the door was open, Holly Winslow knew Yvonne Lewis and her family hadn’t left. She made a point to walk normally.

When Lorne Vance saw her come in, he said obediently, "Sister."

Holly Winslow acknowledged him with a soft "mm," her gaze falling on the food on the table before turning to Wyatt Winslow. "Dad, please eat. Otherwise, you’ll get a stomachache."

Then she looked at Yvonne Lewis and the others. "What is it?"

Yvonne Lewis said softly, "Holly, summer vacation has started. Why don’t you come stay at Mom’s place for a while?"

’She genuinely wanted to get along well with Holly Winslow, but she just didn’t know how.’

’She knew why Holly Winslow was so cold. It was because during the divorce, she was the one who told Wyatt Winslow she didn’t want custody of her.’

’Later, she’d wanted to explain, but Holly Winslow had already grown distant. On top of that, she was abroad most of the year, so their relationship just grew more and more strained.’

Holly Winslow shook her head. Her tone wasn’t as harsh, but it was still distant. "I have to go back to B-City in a few days. I also have to study for a certification exam."

Hearing this, Wyatt Winslow looked at her, his lips tightening unconsciously.

Perhaps because Holly Winslow’s tone had softened a little, Yvonne Lewis felt a sense of relief. She asked cautiously, "Then... how about having a meal with Mom today?"

Holly Winslow knew they would just keep coming back if she didn’t agree to one meal. She nodded. "Tonight, then."

Yvonne Lewis was overjoyed. "Okay."

She could see that Holly Winslow was still a bit resistant to them, so she added, "You two eat. We’ll get going now. Holly, Mom will call you tonight."

After they left, Wyatt Winslow looked at her foot. "What happened?"

’I guess only someone who has eyes only for you would notice every little thing that’s wrong.’

’Yvonne Lewis probably did love her, but it was only a superficial kind of love.’

Holly Winslow smiled. "Dad, it’s nothing. I just bumped it."

The two of them sat at the dining table. Holly Winslow picked up some noodles with her chopsticks and put them in Wyatt Winslow’s bowl. "Dad, eat more. Aunt Roland’s noodles are even better than the ones you can buy outside. I’ll learn how to make them for you."

"No need." Wyatt Winslow shook his head.

’It’s too much trouble.’

...

That evening, Holly Winslow went to the dinner alone. Neither Vincent Vance nor Lorne Vance was there. She was a little taken aback for a moment but quickly composed herself and sat down across from Yvonne Lewis.

Yvonne Lewis pushed the menu toward her. "I’ve already ordered all your favorite dishes."

Holly Winslow no longer had any expectations for her mother, so when she saw that most of the items on the menu were things she liked to eat, she pressed her lips together.

After a few seconds, she pushed it back. "This is enough."

The dishes arrived quickly. Yvonne Lewis asked her about her daily life. Midway through the conversation, she paused. "Holly, Mom admits that I’ve neglected you all these years. Back when your dad and I divorced, I didn’t ask for your custody."

"It’s not that Mom didn’t want you. I had to admit that your dad would take better care of you than I could."

"As for the Lewis family’s matter, Mom has to explain something. Back when I was pregnant with you, I nearly had a miscarriage. It was your eldest uncle and the others who rushed me to the hospital and saved you."

"Your dad knows about this too. That’s why I always asked you to give in to your younger cousins."

’So Wyatt Winslow had spent so much money all because of her. It was all because of her that he had put up with the Lewis Family.’

Holly Winslow’s hand paused. She looked up and said earnestly, "But I was just a child back then."

’Just a child who wanted her parents to be on her side.’

’A child who wanted her own toys and didn’t want to give them up.’